Dual-in-line package carrier and socket assembly

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a carrier for handling and protecting DIP's and a socket onto which the carrier can be placed whereby the leads on the enclosed DIP become electrically terminated.

2. The Prior Art

Prior art carriers for integrated circuit devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,345,541 and 3,409,861. In both disclosures, support blocks are provided which hold the integrated circuit device during handling and usage, i.e., the circuit device and the block, as a unit, are plugged into a suitable connector or socket to terminate the circuit device's leads. The connector or socket may be connected to a PCB, a test fixture, or the like.

A protective carrier of insulating material has a central opening therethrough into which a DIP is positioned. Grooves on the inside surfaces of the side walls defining the opening receive the leads on the DIP. The leads extend down the side walls and are bent around the bases thereof to lock the Dip in the carrier. The socket includes an insulative housing having a plurality of laterally open cells on two opposing sides and terminals which are positioned in the cells. Legs on the terminals extend below the socket for insertion into a PCB. The terminals have contact surfaces which engage the leads on the DIP when the carrier is placed onto the socket.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the protective carrier and socket of the present invention. Also shown is a PCB and a DIP;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the protective cover with the DIP positioned therein;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the socket;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a terminal and a cell of the socket; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the assembly of FIG. 2 mounted on the socket of FIG. 3.

With reference to FIG. 1, the protective carrier and socket of the present invention are indicated generally by reference numerals 10 and 12, respectively. PCB 14 having plated-through holes 16 is shown below the socket. DIP 18 and its leads 20 is shown above protective carrier 10.

Protective carrier 10 is preferably molded from RYNITE 530 which is a tradename for an insulating material produced and sold by the DuPont Company.

Carrier 10 has a first and second end walls 22 and 24, respectively, and side walls 26. The four walls define a central, DIP-receiving opening 28. As shown, the opening extends vertically through the carrier.

The inside surfaces of side walls 26 are stepped with the upper section, generally indicated by reference numeral 30, extending further into the central opening than the lower section. Downwardly facing shoulder 32 is defined by the stepped surface. A plurality of spaced, lead-receiving grooves 34 are located along the length of the two opposing upper sections. These grooves have a wide upper portion 36 and a narrow lower portion 38. The juncture therebetween defines an upwardly facing shoulder 40 on each side of the entrance to the lower portion. The floor of each groove is coplanar with the surface of lower section 44 of the side walls. The groove structure mirrors that of the portion of lead 20 coming out of the DIP and the downwardly facing shoulders 42 thereon.

A plurality of downwardly open slots 46 cut through the lower portion of the side walls. Each slot is in alignment with a groove 34. As shown in FIG. 2, downwardly facing floor 48 of each slot is curved adjacent the inside surface of the side wall as indicated by reference numeral 50. Preferably the floor slopes up from the curved portion outwardly.

As shown in FIG. 1, handling, polarizing and indicator means are provided on the protective carrier. A laterally projecting ledge 52 located on the outside surfaces of the carrier provides a means for grasping and handling it.

Polarizing means include vertical slot 54 in the inside surface of end wall 22 and a vertical bar 56 on the inside surface of end wall 24. These structures cooperate with complementary structures on socket 12 so that the carrier can be placed on the socket in only one orientation.

Indicator means include boss 58 on ledge 52 adjacent end wall 22 and slot 60 in the ledge adjacent end wall 24. These indicators provide both visual and tactile means for orientating the carrier prior to placing it onto socket 12.

FIG. 2 shows a DIP 18 positioned in protective carrier 10. The assembly of the two begins with the DIP as shown in FIG. 1; i.e., leads 20 are straight. The DIP is placed into the carrier with the leads being received in grooves 34 and is pushed down until the downwardly facing shoulders 42 on the lead abut upwardly facing shoulders 40 in the grooves. A tool (not shown) is then driven up from below and the free ends 61 of leads 20 are bent around into slots 46 and up against floors 48. Curved entry 50 facilitates the lead bending. DIP 18 is now locked into carrier 10; i.e., the bent-up leads prevent withdrawal and shoulders 40 in the grooves prevent downward travel.

Socket 12 consists of a housing 62 and terminals 64. The housing, preferably molded from the same insulating material as carrier 10, has a plurality of terminal-receiving cells 66 along each longitudinal side 68. Each cell is defined by vertical walls 70 and is open upwardly and laterally. As shown clearly in FIG. 5, a hole 72 extends from each cell down through the base and opens out on the under side of the housing. Details of hole 72 are shown in FIG. 4 and are described below.

Sides 68 are stepped to provide an upwardly facing shoulder 74. The base 76 of the housing extends outwardly of sides 68. A series of feet or stand-offs 78 are provided on the under side of the housing. A pair of vertical shafts 80 are provided in the housing to reduce the amount of material required to mold the housing.

Complementary polarizing means on housing 62 include a projecting boss 82 on end 84 and a vertical slot 86 on opposite end 88. As carrier 10 is placed onto the socket, boss 82 slides in vertical slot 54 and slot 86 receives bar 56. Obviously these complementary polarizing keys prevent a mismating.

A terminal 64 is shown in enlarged detail in FIG. 4 along with a section of socket housing 62.

Terminal 64 is preferably stamped and formed from a coplanar strip of conductive material such as phosphor bronze. The terminal has an S-shaped upper section 90. The upper concave-convex curve 92 provides a contact surface. The top of the terminal has a pair of laterally projecting ears 94 which centers the terminal in cell 66. The S-shape gives the terminal a high degree of resiliency. Pin 96 depends from upper section 90 and is adapted for insertion into plated-through hole 16 on PCB 14. Dimple 98, located immediately above the pin, provides a retention force to keep the terminal in housing 62.

The width of the terminal increases from the top to the juncture with pin 96. The wider width adjacent the juncture improves the stability of the terminal in the housing without sacrificing the aforementioned resiliency of the upper section. The juncture defines two downwardly facing shoulders 100 which rest on two upwardly facing shoulders 102 in hole 72.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of socket 12 mounted on PCB 14. The view shows the positioning of terminals 64 in cells 66. The space between the socket and PCB is provided by stand-offs 78.

FIG. 5 shows the carrier and the contained DIP 18 placed onto socket 12. As carrier 12 is pushed down over the socket, leads 20 and terminals 64 contact each other for an electrical connection. The terminals are moved inwardly during the downward movement of the carrier and in doing so, wiping between each lead and the mating contact area 92 occurs. The wider lower portion of the terminals accommodate the inward flexing without the material taking a set.

The protective carrier moves down until the base 104 of side walls 26 rests on the upper surface 106 of socket housing base 76.

The present invention provides a way in which a DIP may be protected from the time of manufacture until it is discarded. It provides an extremely fool-proof replacement method such that a mechanic for example, can replace a DIP from a PCB mounted socket in an automobile without fear of damaging the DIP and its leads.

The present invention may be subject to many modifications and changes without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present invention is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the invention.